Charlotte Breweries

The Charlotte region is home to dozens of breweries in operation or on the way. This breakdown of area breweries will tempt any beer fan into becoming a regular in the Charlotte craft beer scene. Looking to switch it up between pints? We’ve got cideries and distilleries, too.

Located near the North Carolina/South Carolina state line, the Charlotte region is home to dozens of breweries in operation or on the way. This breakdown of area breweries (each listed by its Charlotte neighborhood or the number of miles between it and Center City Charlotte*) will tempt any beer fan into becoming a regular in the Charlotte craft beer scene. Looking to switch it up between pints? We’ve got cideries and distilleries, too.

Sugar Creek Brewing Company(3.9 miles)Located in The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery’s former home on Southside Drive, Sugar Creek Brewing Company is Charlotte's first Belgian-inspired craft brewery dedicated to the craftsmanship of fresh, high-quality beer in a style and commitment representative of Belgian Trappist monks. Try Sugar Creek’s Belgian Dubbel, which won a silver medal at the 2015 U.S. Open Beer championship.

The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery(4 miles)Known to locals as OMB, The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery is the oldest brewery in the area; it opened in 2009. Specializing in German-style beers, OMB’s Brauhaus is reminiscent of a German beer hall. Stop by to enjoy an OMB Copper and take the brewery tour, which was named the best in the nation by USA Today. And try the seasonal Mecktoberfest, which won a gold medal at the 2015 European Beer Star competition in Germany.

Three Spirits Brewery (6 miles) Three Spirits Brewery is the brainchild of a former emergency room doctor. The name and décor of the 9,100-square-foot, 10-barrel brewhouse gives a nod to Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Try the Agate Have It brown ale, the Honey Porter or Red Moon Rising—all U.S. Open Beer Championship award winners. Pair your beer with an offering from one of the food trucks on the weekends, take advantage of the brewery’s partnership with on-demand food delivery service Postmates or take part in the only escape room inside a brewery with Cryptex Games of Charlotte.

NODA Birdsong Brewing Co.(1.5 miles)Birdsong Brewing Co.’s mission is to brew flavorful, unfiltered, high-quality craft beer. Its popularity is a result of its free-spirited vibe and tasty brews, like the Higher Ground IPA and Jalapeño Pale Ale. Due to increased demand, the brewery expanded and moved to a new location in NoDa in April 2015.

Bold Missy Brewery(3.8 miles)This NoDa brew haven aims to honor the courageous achievements of women like Harriet Tubman and Sally Ride. The spot’s first brew is called Rocket Ride IPA, branded as a tribute to Ride’s triumphant venture to space. Bold Missy will also offer a menu of light snacks to munch on as you sample suds.

Divine Barrel Brewing(opening 2017) (3.8 miles) Divine Barrel Brewing will operate a 10-barrel system paired up with four 20-barrel stainless fermenters and a 20-barrel brite. Plus, there’s a foeder pair; they’ll hold 20 barrels a piece. Co-owner and brewer Ben Dolphens hopes to have 10 beers on tap upon opening.

Heist Brewery (2.9 miles) Located in historic Highland Park Mill, originally a cotton mill constructed in the early 1900s, Heist Brewery is a contemporary brewpub where bold, exquisite and unexpected combinations are the norm.

Heist Brewery and Barrel Arts(opening 2017)(2.4 miles)Located just five minutes from Heist Brewery’s flagship location, Heist Brewery and Barrel Arts will fill 22,000 square feet of space with a 3,200-square-foot taproom, a butcher shop and a bakery (selling rustic breads and pastries). And outside, a 1-acre beer garden that includes a 5,000-square-foot patio, will shine. The new spot will expand more into barrel aging to produce clean beers and sours.

NoDa Brewing Company(taproom temporarily closed)(2.6 miles)Named after the NoDa neighborhood, NoDa Brewing Company opened its first location, a 15-barrel production brewery and taproom, in 2011.The original location continues to produce unique small-batch beers, sours and barrel-aged brews, but its taproom is temporarily closed.

NoDa Brewing Company - North End(3.3 miles)In 2015, NoDa Brewing Company opened its second location on North Tryon Street, where the popular Hop Drop ‘n Roll, the 2014 World Beer Cup® Gold Award Winner in the American-style IPA category, and other premium brews are made in a 60-barrel production system. Stop by the North End location for a brewery tour, live music, food trucks, the run club, special events and more. In 2016, NoDa Brewing was named one of the South’s Best Breweries by Southern Living.

Salud Cerveceria (3.3 miles) Salud Beer Shop has expanded its brewery, Salud Cerveceria, by annexing a 3,100-square-foot space just above the shop (where Upstage formerly resided). Salud will temporarily brew its beer at Heist Brewery, located just down the street, until it finds its own location for production. They also plan to install two 15-barrel foeders for sour beers on-site.

PLAZA MIDWOOD

Catawba Brewing Company(2.2 miles) This “newbie” to Charlotte is actually an oldie; Catawba runs three other locations—one in Morganton, North Carolina, and two in Asheville, North Carolina. In Charlotte, beer lovers can avail themselves of the brewery’s full bottling line to order fan favorites like White Zombie white ale and Mother Trucker pale ale. A 6,000-square-foot taproom and ample views of the Charlotte skyline add major bonus points to the new spot’s offerings.

Legion Brewing (2.5 miles) Plaza Midwood’s first brewery, Legion Brewing is a 15-barrel neighborhood brewery that is all about bringing friends and beer together. Legion combines “olde world” techniques with local and seasonal influences to craft high-quality beers with unique flavors. Features throughout the brewery give a nod to its former tenant of 60 years – Brodt Music Company.

Resident Culture Brewing(opening 2017)(2.8 miles)Russian River Brewing head brewer Chris Tropeano will be at the helm of this new brewery, which will feature a 2,500-square-foot taproom, where fresh, hoppy beers and a barrel-aging program are the focus. Check out the 1,500-square-foot covered patio and 4,000-square-foot outdoor biergarten.

SOUTH END

Hyde Brewing(opening 2017) (2.5 miles) The space will operate as part-brewery, part-coffee shop and feature a rotating food menu. Because partners Lindsay Pitman (former owner of The Daily Press in NoDa) and Dan Hyde believe in the importance of water quality when it comes to producing the best beer and coffee, a focus on this essential element will remain at the heart of what Hyde is all about. In fact, the brewery will feature an on-site water tower.

Lenny Boy Brewing Co.(2 miles)Serving up organic kombucha, gluten-free wild ales, gluten-reduced beers, sours, traditional beer and more, Lenny Boy Brewing Co. is the only certified organic microbrewery in Charlotte. Try the Burn Down for What, which swept the category of Best Organic Sour at the 2015 National Organic Beer competition.

Sycamore Brewing (2 miles) Drink Carolina proud at Sycamore Brewing! Led by husband-and-wife duo Justin and Sarah Brigham, Sycamore Brewing features the freshest ingredients possible to brew all-natural, tasty craft beer. Stop by to enjoy classic styles, seasonals and creative experimental recipes as well as wine and cider on tap at this 15-barrel brewery. Try the Southern Girl Lager, which won a bronze medal at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival.

The Unknown Brewing Co.(1.1 miles)Just three blocks south of Bank of America Stadium, The Unknown Brewing Co.’s mission is to create exceptional beer and a beer culture that motivates craft beer lovers to live without boundaries. Try one of the three signature craft beers: Over the Edge American IPA, Pre Game session ale and Ginger Wheat.

Triple C Brewing Co.(2.5 miles)Hop on the LYNX Light Rail and stop at the New Bern station for quick access to Triple C Brewing Co., where you can taste the refreshing flavors of the Light Rail Pale Ale or the Greenway IPA in the taproom Tuesday through Sunday.

Wooden Robot Brewery (1 mile) Wooden Robot Brewery, an urban farmhouse-style brew hub, is the brainchild of longtime friends Josh Patton and Dan Wade. Wooden Robot features 16 constantly rotating taps. Pair a homegrown brew with a bite from the Twisted Eats food truck, parked out front most days and serving fare that incorporates the brewery’s beer.Beer Advocate magazine included Wooden Robot Brewery in its “Class of 2015 – 33 of the Best New Breweries.”

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery (.07 miles) Head Brewer Robb Macleod, who hails from Bayhawk Ales in Irvine, California, and Alcatraz Brewing Company in Orange, California, is at the helm of this national restaurant chain’s unique local beer operation. Here on-site, Macleod created handcrafted beers that are dedicated to the Charlotte market. While an inventive seasonal menu brings in new craft blends each month, a menu of three favorites is standing and includes Charlotte’s Gold (kölsch), Uptown Amber and Hop Goddess IPA.

WEST END

Blue Blaze Brewing Co.(2 miles)Blue Blaze Brewing Co. crafts its path by embracing an explorer’s wanderlust mindset—and it’s all in the name. Blue blazes on the Appalachian Trail are side trail markers that identify sources of water, scenic outlooks or places of rest for backpackers. Charlotte’s first West End craft brewery is at the historic Savona Mill. Co-founders and brewers Craig Nunn and Sven Giersmann focus on community vibes and environmental friendliness while crafting inventive brews.

CHARLOTTE REGIONAL BREWERIES

BELMONT, NC

Rivermen Brewing Company(opening 2017)(11 miles)Located in Belmont, North Carolina, Rivermen Brewing Company was founded by four paddlers who enjoy craft beer and spending time on the river. The brewery is housed in an old mill.

York Chester Brewing Company (11 miles) York Chester Brewing Company is a nanobrewery that originated in the York Chester Historic District in Gastonia, North Carolina, but is located in Belmont, North Carolina.

Cabarrus Brewing Company (24 miles) Cabarrus Brewing Company is the first full-scale craft brewery in Concord and Cabarrus County. The 15-barrel, three vessel brewhouse is located in the historic Gibson Mill in what once served as the warehouse for the Gibson Manufacturing Company.

As the owners describe it, “Commoners Brewing Company is the dream of three men brought together by faith, family and the love of good beer.” Commoners’ mission is to continue the tradition of bringing people together to share their stories over great beers.

With a taproom that operates Thursday through Saturday, Red Hill Brewing in Concord serves up creative suds and what they call “just good beer.” Pair your beer with pit-cooked barbecue from Lil’ Robert’s Place Food Truck, which is parked out front every other Wednesday.

CORNELIUS, NC

Ass Clown Brewing Company(19 miles)Ass Clown Brewing Company in Cornelius crafts 200 varieties of beer in its 9-barrel system—a far cry from its garage brewery roots. Owner Matt Glidden focuses on unique flavors made from high-quality ingredients. The name was inspired by a phrase that a friend of Glidden often used.

Bayne Brewing Company (21 miles) This family-owned and operated microbrewery is led by brothers Chris and Sean Bayne. They produce a variety of small-batch creations on their 2-barrel brew system.

Named after the 11 major lakes that along the Catawba Basin, Eleven Lakes Brewing will use a small-batch process to focus on quality ingredients and produce year-round favorites (like the Irish Red) and seasonal surprises (like the Teri’s Berry Wheat).

D9 Brewing Co.(20 miles)D9 is a craft microbrewery that specializes in international IPAs, ancient sour ales, Cascadian dark ales, and various imperial and oak-aged beers. The 10-barrel production brewery has proudly brewing fanatical ales in North Carolina since 2013.

DALLAS, NC

Ole Dallas Brewery(26 miles) Ole Dallas Brewery is a small-town brewery in planning founded on the principles that family, friends, fellowship and good beer can brighten the darkest day.

GASTONIA, NCCavendish Brewing Company (opening spring 2017) (20 miles) Taking over a former Craig Dodge Dealership, which was built in 1952, Cavendish will brew its beer in what was the dealership’s old repair shop. The former showroom will house the bar and tasting room. The brewery will start off with a 16-barrel brewhouse and 150 barrels for fermenting, plus the initial ability to make 5,000 gallons of beer every two weeks. Add food trucks, a rotating lineup of seven seasonal beers, seven specialty beers and five core varieties, for a total of 19 taps, and you’ve got Cavendish.

GOLD HILL, NC

Morgan Ridge Vineyards & Brewhouse(55.8 miles)Originally a vineyard filled with award-winning wines, Morgan Ridge Vineyards & Brewhouse is also home to an on-site brewery. The handcrafted beer styles offered change frequently and include favorites like Flat Creek Swamp Water, a full-bodied stout with notes of chocolate.

HUNTERSVILLE, NC

Primal Brewery (19 miles) Co-owners David Hoy and Ray Steimel’s definition of primal (very basic and powerful) describes their goal for creating high-quality craft beer at Huntersville brew hub Primal Brewing. Primal doesn’t want to create the most beer; it wants to create the best beer.

INDIAN TRAIL, NCSweet Union Brewing Company(coming soon)(15.2 miles)Sweet Union Brewing plans to bring one of the most heavily rotated craft tap-rows in the Tar Heel State to Indian Land, North Carolina. The creative minds and business forces behind Sweet Union, Travis Caudle, Tim O’ Neill and Tom Caudle, also have the goal of creating a cask program for the brewery.

KANNAPOLIS, NC

Third Dimension Brewing(opening 2017)(28 miles)As Kannapolis’ first downtown brewery, Third Dimension will bring a beer production site with a taproom that will produce more than 200 barrels of beer each month.

MINT HILL, NC

Barking Duck Brewing Company (12.6 miles) This small nanobrewery concocting double batches on a 1/2-barrel system is the brainchild of former college roommates Josh Carl and Jacob Reynolds. Regulars return for the house favorites like the flagship Banamber.

MONROE, NC

Southern Range Brewing Co.(26 miles)Monroe’s first brewery is nestled in the downtown area and boasts an array of craft beer options (plus wine). Favorites include the Southern Range Energizer Blondie blonde ale, the Southern Range Bittersweet Hophony West Coast-style IPA and more.

MOORESVILLE, NC

33 Brewing Company (coming soon) (30 miles) A family owned and operated microbrewery, 33 Brewing Company's beers are brewed in a custom-designed and manufactured, fire-brewed, 10-barrel brewhouse. The brewery is designed in the style of an old-world European brewery.

Ghostface Brewing (30 miles) Ghostface Brewing offers "spooky good" brews on tap, with a selection of rotating styles, including everything from a strawberry ale to a milk stout to the Banshee IPA, named for Cinemax's "Banshee" that was filmed in the area. The taproom and brewpub feature tastings and full pours on-site, growlers to-go and flatbread pizza prepared by Davidson Pizza Company.

Lake Norman Brewing Company (33 miles) The concept of Lake Norman Brewing Company revolves around its proximity to the lake and the vitality it represents. This nanobrewery produces specialty brews, like the Man Overboard IPA and the Wakeboard Wit, one small batch at a time.

New Sarum Brewing Company(43.4 miles)Born in the heart of downtown Salisbury, North Carolina, New Sarum Brewing Company derives its name from the original settlement name of Salisbury’s Sister City—“Old Sarum” England. They strive to refashion historical methods of creating consistent quality handcrafted beer in an old meets new style with modern ingredients

SHELBY, NC

Newgrass Brewing Co.(45 miles)Newgrass Brewing Co. is a Belgian and hop-forward inspired 7-barrel brewpub located in historic Uptown Shelby, North Carolina. The facility where the brewery is located is over 100 years old (built in 1909) that previously housed the Hudson Department Store.

WAXHAW, NC

The Dreamchasers’s Brewery (30 miles) The Dreamchasers’s Brewery, the first brewery in Waxhaw, is an award-winning microbrewery, specializing in ales, pilsners and stouts.

FORT MILL, SC

Full Spectrum Brewing Co.(17 miles)Part nanobrewery, part CrossFit gym, Full Spectrum Brewing Co. was created to combine owner Charles Bergman's love of fitness and craft beer. The brewery offers a variety of craft beers named after colors on the color spectrum.

LANSCASTER, SC

Benford Brewing (42 miles) Located on a small farm in Lancaster County, Benford Brewing is South Carolina's first operating agricultural brewery. From utilizing spring well water in the beer to the livestock helping with the spent grains, the 30-barrel brewery and farm are a great match.

ROCK HILL, SC

Legal Remedy Brewing Co.(25 miles)In 2015, Legal Remedy Brewing Co. converted a vacant Rock Hill, South Carolina, auto dealership into a custom craft brewery and brewpub. Founded by a lawyer, a landscape architect, two bankers and a computer guy, Legal Remedy offers a full-service restaurant with beer brewed on the premises. With more than 11,000 square feet of interior and exterior space, the brewery houses a 17-barrel brewing system along with two smaller brewing systems, which can collectively produce up to 10,000 barrels of beer per year.

BREWERIES IN PLANNING

The following breweries are either in the early planning stages or have not yet determined or finalized a location. Check back frequently for updates on new breweries opening in the Charlotte region.

4Chambers Brewing

Dukbone Brewing

Fat Head’s Brewery

Hatchet Head Brewing Company

Petty Thieves Brewing Co.

Southern Tier/Victory Brewing

Stony Mountain Vineyards

Lubromation, Inc.

CHARLOTTE CIDERIES

LOSO (LOWER SOUTH END)

GoodRoad CiderWorks(3.7 miles) GoodRoad CiderWorks is a New World cidery honoring the tradition of Old World cider-making through artisanal ciders and meads. Their three core will be dry, semi-dry and English ciders. In addition, they will produce specialty ciders with ingredients including hops, fruits and herbs/spices. Through a partnership with a New Hampshire orchard, they will also produce true "heirloom apple" ciders.

Windy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill (39 miles) This family-owned and operated boutique apple orchard and hard cider producer is open every fall from mid-August to December and features award-winning apple ciders. Guests can pick their own apples, fresh-pressed apple cider, freshly made apple products and much more.

CHARLOTTE DISTILLERIES

LOSO (LOWER SOUTH END)

Doc Porter’s Distillery (3.6 miles) The distillery prides itself on grain-to-glass spirits, and is best known for its vodka, made from North Carolina wheat that is milled on site. The owners are working on homegrown gin and whiskey recipes.

Great Wagon Road Distilling Company (3.8 miles) Not only is Great Wagon Road the oldest distillery in Mecklenburg County; it’s also the first one in North Carolina to have its own bar, The Broken Spoke. The owner, a Kildare, Ireland, native Ollie Mulligan, prides himself on adding Irish hospitality to the handcrafted cocktail mission and Southern atmosphere.

NODA

Dragon Moonshine Company (1.6 miles) At this distillery, all production is done in-house, making it a complete grain-to-glass distillery that uses only locally sourced ingredients. The focus on local extends to the location of the distillery, which is housed in a renovated NoDa warehouse called Area 15, an incubator for micro businesses in Charlotte.

NORTHWEST CHARLOTTE

Seven Jars Distillery(coming soon) (6.7 miles) Products from the Seven Jars Distillery line, which include supplies for creating your own craft beer, fine ciders and wine, are available at Seven Jar’s current location on Brookshire Boulevard in Charlotte. When the distillery opens, it will focus on producing exceptional distilled spirits that incorporate vintage recipes.

CHARLOTTE REGIONAL DISTILLERIES

BELMONT, NC

Muddy River Distillery (11 miles) This Belmont-based distillery—the first rum distillery in North Carolina—is famous for its varieties of homegrown rum, which incorporate premium ingredients, handcrafted recipes and custom-built stills. It’s located just off the banks of the “muddy” Catawba River, where it got its name. Try the Spiced Carolina Rum, Queen Charlotte’s Reserve, the Coconut Carolina Rum and more.

CONCORD, NC

Southern Grace Distilleries (24.8 miles) The team at Southern Grace Distilleries is committed to crafting small-batch moonshine and whiskey. Try the Sun Dog 130 Uncut North Carolina Moonshine Corn Whiskey, which has won four medals including the gold at the San Diego Spirits completion.

KING'S MOUNTAIN, NC

Southern Artisan SpiritsLocated in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, Southern Artisan Spirits is dedicated to the revitalization of the lost art of craft distillation. Kings Mountain was the first community in the U.S. to vote itself legally dry in October 1874; however, distilleries began to pop up in the county in the latter half of the 19th century. Southern Artisan Spirits is the third legal distillery in the state and the proud producer of Cardinal gin. They have plans to add a taproom in the future.

STATESVILLE, NC

Southern Distilling CompanyOpen since June 2017, Southern Distilling Company has a distilling capacity of 500,000 proof gallons annually, making it the largest craft distillery in the country. The Statesville newcomer is family owned and crafts rye and flavored whiskeys as well as bourbon cream liqueur. The facility and its gift shop are open daily, with tours available every hour; you can also book the tasting room for special events and corporate retreats.

*Mileage is calculated from the Charlotte Convention Center, located at 501 S. College St. in Uptown.

This page was last updated in March 2017. Has something changed? Did we miss something? Contact us and let us know!

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